Compressible container with automatically closing and retracting discharge nozzle



Aug. 14, 1956 K. SCHAFLER 2,758,755

COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER WITH AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING AND RETRACING DISCHARGE NOZZLE Filed 'April '15, .1955

42/ fibsw-zze Ill WE United States Patent Oflice Patented Aug. 14, 1956 CUMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER WITH AUTO- MATICALLY CLOSING AND RETRACT- ING DISCHARGE NOZZLE Kay Schafler, New York, N. Y.

Application April 15, 1953, Serial No. 349,050

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-213) The present invention relates to collapsible tubes and bottles provided with a discharge nozzle for fluent paste materials housed therein; said containers being compressed by hand to expel their contents which may be toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant salves, pharmaceutical jellies, greases, paints and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved collapsible container of the class mentioned, having a nozzle which automatically opens when pressure is applied to the container and then automatically closes when the pressure is released.

Another object hereof is to provide a novel and improved automatically-operating discharge nozzle for compressible containers of the character described, which are a one-piece construction and may be an integral part of the container, affording easy manufacture thereof by moulding it of a plastic material which is resilient when set.

A further object hereof is to provide a novel and improved discharge nozzle for compressible containers of the type set forth, which normally is in retracted position within the confines of the container while not in use, and is made to project from the container to serve with ease as an applicator while discharge therefrom is taking place. Furthermore, the article may be stood on the shelf of a medicine chest so that the nozzle is shielded from dust or other contamination while not in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved collapsible tube of resilient construction so that it cannot be rolled up as is the comon practice when such tubes are of a metal foil, thereby affording the permanent maintainance of such tube in extended condition so that all printed matter or adviserisement thereon remain exposed to view.

A further object hereof is to provide a novel and improved automatically operating nozzle structure for the purposes mentioned which is valve-less and yet closes securely to prevent any oozing therefrom.

Still another object is to provide a novel and improved compressible container with discharge nozzle of the kind described, which is easy to use, positive in action, decorative in appearance and eflicient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 is a pictorial fragmentary View of the discharge end of a compressible container embodying the teachings of this invention. The tube and nozzle structure are here of one piece.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of a compressible tube constructed in accordance with this invention and may be deemed a section taken at lines 2--2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal view of the tube shown in Fig. 2, part in section and said tube is here shown being compressed whereupon the nozzle is made to automatically shift from its retracted position to an extended position, become opened and some tube contents expelled there from.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a tube having mounted thereon the nozzle structure taught herein. The container is here a two-piece structure. This view is shown partly in section to indicate the manner in which the tube and nozzle parts may be clinched together to effect a unitary construction.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of another modified form.

In the drawings, the numeral 15 designates generally a cupped membrane part of resilient material of suitable plastic or rubber substance. This part 15 is the closure of a compressible tube, bottle or other container. It may be an integral part as in Figs. 2 and 3, or may be a separate part as 15' clinched on as an extension, of for instance the tube 16 which is of compressible nature as it would be if made of metal foil. The interior surface of the bottom of said cupped part 15, is formed with an annular channel 17 surrounding a central well 18, whereby the outer surface of the bottom of said part 15, presents a teat 19 surrounded by the Well 20, the surface of whose bottom wall within the cup, is concave. This teat, at its very tip has a pair of intersecting slits therethrough as indicated at 21, through which paste substance 22 in the container 23 is expelled when the latter is compressed as in Fig. 3. The normal rest and closed position of the components constituting the part 15, is shown in Fig. 2.

The tube or container 23, filled or partially filled with paste substance 22, will always have such substance filling the part 15. When pressure is applied to the container, the part 15 will become distended as shown in Fig. 3, where the teat or discharge nozzle 19, extends out of the cup 15 and is discharging. Said teat or nozzle has actually grown in length. Upon release of such pressure, the part 15 will again assume its normal rest condition as in Fig. 2, where the nozzle 19 is retracted into the cup 15, has become shortened and the lips 24 of its month are closed, all automatically, because of the springing back of the tensed comparatively thicker wall parts which constitute the nozzle tip 19 and at least the major portion of the annular channel walls away from the nozzle as shown at 17', leaving the remainder of the bottom of said part 15, relatively thin as shown at 25. The mentioned shape of the bottom wall of the well 20, facilitates the lengthening of the teat 19 when pressure is applied to the tube 16, and the shortening of said teat when such pressure is released.

The thicker wall at 17' is to provide a structure which will be tensed when distended and yet have sufiicient force to push substance 22 back again so that part 15 assumes its original rest position. Of course, the viscosity of the substance is low enough to permit the required movement of the closure means from open position of Fig. 2 to closed condition shown in Fig. 3. Without hindering the springback property it needs, wall 17' may have a shallow annular groove 26, which though it thins the wall, dictates its bending region, but the adjacent thicker portions of said wall next to such groove, give substantial body to the part 15.

It is evident that in normal rest position, the nozzle 19 is closed and wholly within the cup 15. The container can therefore be stood upright on part 15, on a shelf whereby the nozzle is protected from dust, for such nozzle would be wholly enclosed. In fact, the container might even be detachably secured to said shelf by the suction cup action afforded. When the entire container and its part 15 are of resilient material as would be in a one-piece construction, the container could not be rolled up, and in normal rest condition, the entire containerwould be visible and hence no part of printed matterthereonwould be hidden frm- View. To till the container, its bottom is left open to receive substance 22 therein. The container is setso that the exterior of part 15- isheldsecured ona suitable form to maintain the components of said part-15in-normal rest-position shown inFig. 2: A fter said containenis filled through its open bottom 27, it is folded at such bottom and the fold '28" secured to; effect a closure permanently,- in' any suitable manner; i

As another modificatiom there; is the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, where only that; portion of diameter -A 'of the part orr15'; is-used" as-the closure means for the container 16; such portion having the diameter A- being common to all theembodiments illustrated. The closure here designated by the numerab is a cupped par-tofresilient materiab joined watertight; along its rim to-thecontainenwall: Part 340 is; formed with a teat-3 1 extending towards-its mouth: The; mode oi? operation is identioalas set forth for the other embodiments herein described.

In'Fig; 4; there isshown;aslightmodification indicated atnumeral 3-3which is an=inwa'rd cup formation in the very tip of the teat-62'; the cross slit as 21 beingthrough thebottom wall' OfjSllQ-h inward] cup 33. This aids the avoidance of any drip when-the; articlewhile not in use, is stood on nozzle end;

This: invention is" capable of numerous forms and various applications withoutdeparting from the essential features hereindiselosed; It istherefore intended and desired that t-he embodiments shown herein shall' be deemed illustrative and not-- restrictive and that; the patent shall" cover all patentable novelty hereinset forth; reference being hadto the; following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of thisinvention.

I claim:

1". A compressible container anda-- combined dispenser and applicator member comprising a cupped membrane part of resilient material closing said container and extending inwardly therein; the rim of the mouth of said cupped part being in water-tight relation with the wall of said container; the wall; of; said cupped part being edv w t a est extend n ho y. within. aid curr part towards; the mouth of such cupped;- part; innormal rest position whereby an, annulal Well: is. formed surrounding said teat within said cupped part, the surface of the bottom Wall, 0f said welli being concave within the cuppedpartysaid, teat having a slit therethrough whereby when the container having fluent substancetherein is compressed, the; teat will: be; forced: in: a direction outwardly of said cupped part and be increased in length and at least part of such susbtance will be expelled through said slit whereupon said teat is adapted to serve as an applicator for the expelled substance,'and when'pressure on said'container is released; said teat will automatically withdrawinto said cupped; part tonormal rest position and become relatively short again.

2: The article as definedinclaim 1', whereinthe tip of the teat is inwardly cupped; extendinginto said teat;

References (Zited' in'thefile of this patent UNITED S'l AjIES' PATENTS 

